Evolution on the edge: a model system for evolution on invasion fronts

该项目旨在开发一个共享的实验平台，使用经过充分研究的生态模型水蚤，来测试关于入侵前沿进化的紧急预测。进化在入侵前线发生得很快，加速了入侵的速度和潜在的破坏。通过在实验环境中操纵入侵，该项目旨在回答目前不可行的问题，包括病原体是否在传播过程中变得更具毒性，以及进化权衡是否限制了传播速度。这项工作将极大地提高我们对生物入侵的理解，并可能对从突发疾病到侵入性害虫和恶性生长等现象的管理产生影响。

This project aims to develop a shared experimental platform, using the well-studied ecological model, Daphnia, to test emergent predictions about evolution on invasion fronts. Evolution happens rapidly on invasion fronts, accelerating the speed and potentially the damage caused by an invasion. By manipulating invasions through an experimental landscape, the project aims to answer currently infeasible questions, including whether pathogens become more virulent as they spread, and whether evolutionary trade-offs place limits on spread rate. This work would dramatically improve our understanding of biological invasions and may have implications for the management of phenomena ranging from emergent diseases to invasive pests and malignant growths.